Compare towns
Hull vs Springfield vs Worcester vs Harwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hull has the highest household income ($115k).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Harwich has the most homeowners (84.8%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Hull | Springfield | Worcester | Harwich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,138Lowest |
154,749 |
207,055Highest |
13,598 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9% MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.1±1.8 40% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
33.9±0.5 15% below MA |
58.6±1.5Highest 47% above MA |
| Harwich and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
11.7%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6 MA: 17.9% |
35.8%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.4% MA: 47.3% |
20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.2% MA: 47.3% |
50.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,485±$14kHighest 11% above MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
$96,966±$13k 7% below MA |
| Hull and Harwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $646,000±$38k 15% above MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$374,400±$7k 33% below MA |
$658,600±$26kHighest 17% above MA |
| Harwich and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,081±$187Highest 18% above MA |
$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,487±$38 16% below MA |
$2,017±$738 14% above MA |
| Hull and Harwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,089Highest about the MA average |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
$4,733 21% below MA |
$4,189 30% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
56.7%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Springfield and Harwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
19.6% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6% MA: 62.5% |
49.6% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1952 12 yrs older than MA |
1951 13 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 14% above MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
24 min 17% below MA |
25 min 14% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.7%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
17.3%±4.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Hull and Harwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #66 of 282 in MA | #276 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA | #157 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hull | Springfield | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Monomoy Regional School District · Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Hull High | Springfield Central High | South High Community | Monomoy Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.8Lowest |
12.2 |
14.6Highest |
11.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.